Spring Break
The Star Report: Men's golf: From A to Zen and Zahki
Sean Star
Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: Sports
The best kept secret on campus?
Hint. The team is ranked No. 15 in the country, won its conference championship last year and is poised to repeat this year. It has a realistic chance of securing the best season in program history and practices in a new, state-of-the-art facility that would easily make any of its competitors jealous.
Don't know? Don't worry. Neither does anyone else.
Introducing men's golf: the least-talked about, most-accomplished team at CSU.
Three talented juniors -- Bryce Hanstad, Dustin Morris and Riley Arp --Â have all played significant roles in helping the Rams to record-tying five tournament victories this season, with Hanstad and Morris each winning individual titles.
But it's a freshman and senior who really complete the dynamics of the team. Literally from A to Z.
Brothers Zen and Zahkai Brown may share the roof they sleep under at night and the parents who raised them, but that's about where their similarities end.
Zen is a senior who has played in every tournament the last four years. Zahkai is a freshman who still has to fight his way into a tournament every week.
Even their golf games are different.
Zen tends to play a draw, Zahkai a cut.
Zen is even-keeled, doesn't take risks and scores pretty consistently. Almost too consistently, as, despite all his success, has yet to win an individual title.
Zahkai is more aggressive, and according to his coach, Jamie Bermel, "has to bring back the reins a little bit at times." Still, his aggressiveness has paid off at least once in his brief career, winning an individual title back in October.
"Zen and Zahkai really couldn't be two more different people," Bermel said. "Zen's really laid back. Zahkai's pretty emotional."
Their polarizing characteristics were first noticed by their mother, Lori, while growing up together in Denver.
"If he liked vanilla ice cream, I'd like chocolate," Zahkai said.
Hint. The team is ranked No. 15 in the country, won its conference championship last year and is poised to repeat this year. It has a realistic chance of securing the best season in program history and practices in a new, state-of-the-art facility that would easily make any of its competitors jealous.
Don't know? Don't worry. Neither does anyone else.
Introducing men's golf: the least-talked about, most-accomplished team at CSU.
Three talented juniors -- Bryce Hanstad, Dustin Morris and Riley Arp --Â have all played significant roles in helping the Rams to record-tying five tournament victories this season, with Hanstad and Morris each winning individual titles.
But it's a freshman and senior who really complete the dynamics of the team. Literally from A to Z.
Brothers Zen and Zahkai Brown may share the roof they sleep under at night and the parents who raised them, but that's about where their similarities end.
Zen is a senior who has played in every tournament the last four years. Zahkai is a freshman who still has to fight his way into a tournament every week.
Even their golf games are different.
Zen tends to play a draw, Zahkai a cut.
Zen is even-keeled, doesn't take risks and scores pretty consistently. Almost too consistently, as, despite all his success, has yet to win an individual title.
Zahkai is more aggressive, and according to his coach, Jamie Bermel, "has to bring back the reins a little bit at times." Still, his aggressiveness has paid off at least once in his brief career, winning an individual title back in October.
"Zen and Zahkai really couldn't be two more different people," Bermel said. "Zen's really laid back. Zahkai's pretty emotional."
Their polarizing characteristics were first noticed by their mother, Lori, while growing up together in Denver.
"If he liked vanilla ice cream, I'd like chocolate," Zahkai said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
Todd Dempsey
posted 4/04/09 @ 6:46 PM MST
i think this article is wack.....i think the other teammates are just as importnant to the overall success of the team. also if this team is making history at CSU why the hell are they not getting more press. (Continued…)
CSU Golf Fans
posted 4/27/09 @ 8:28 PM MST
Great job with the article. Zahkai's name is mispelled in the article headline. It is rare that brothers get a chance to play on the same team and both be contributors to the team's success. (Continued…)
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